Automatically opening head gate



Feb. 5, 1952 M. K. osBoRN AUTOMATICALLY OPENING HEAD GATE Filed June 30, 1949 1N V EN TOR.

Patented Feb. 5, 17952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATICALLY OPENING HEAD GATE Milo Kenneth Osborn, Loveland, C010. .Application June so, 1949, serial No. 102,323

` 7 Claims. (Cl. (i1-28) This invention relates to an automatic irrigation gate. It is more particularly designed for use in farm irrigation laterals, and has for its principal object the provision of a time-controlled head gate which can be pre-set to open at any selected time during the day or night.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the device that the weight oi the head of water against the gate will not interfere with the automatic opening function thereof, and which will be so constructed that it can be opened by a simple clockwork mechanism, regardless of the weight of water thereagainst.

A further object is to so construct the gate that it will be portable so that it may be moved from one lateral or turnout to another to obtain the desired irrigation results.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view, illustrating the downstream side of the improved gate in the closed position;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section therethrough, taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.

The gate is designed to nt into a receiving groove IIJ formed in the opposite sides of a gate opening in a retaining or ditch wall I I. The gate comprises an outer frame consisting of two vertical side angle irons, I2 joined at their bottoms by means of a horizontal bottom angle iron I3 and at their tops by means of a horizontal top angle iron I4. A cross angle iron I5 extends betweeen the two side angle irons I2 in parallel relation to the top angle iron I4.

A gate plate i6, mounted on a stiffening framework I'I, is hinged upon a hinge shaft I8 extending horizontally across between the side irons I2 parallel to the bottom iron I3. A latch stud I9 extends upwardly from the gate frame I'I to a position in the rear of the vertical leg of the cross angle iron I5.

When the gate is closed, the latch stud I9 is caught behind a swinging channel member or lever `2Il which is mounted on the cross iron I5 Cil 2 upon a hinge pin 2I positioned at its inner extremity.

The outer extremity of the channel member rests against a horizontally swinging bar 22. The bar 22 is hinged to the cross iron I5 at its outer extremity upon a suitable hinge pin 23. The channel member 20 bears against the bar 22 adjacent the hinge pin 23, and the bar projects inwardly beyond the hinged extremity of the channel member, where it curves to a position in the rear of the vertical leg of the angle iron I5.

The upper extremity of the bar 22 bears against a vertical, swinging lever arm 24 which is hingedly suspended from ahinge pin 25 on the upper angle iron I4. The swinging lever arm 24 depends downwardly through an elongated slot 26 in the cross angle I5.

The lever arm 24 is swung sidewardly so as to disengage the extremity of the bar 22 by means or a hook-shaped connecting rod 2'I which terminates in a split clevis 28, which is hinged to the lever 24 adjacent the free extremity of the latter. The hooked extremity of the connecting rod 2l is pivotally connected by means of a pivot member 31 to an actuating lever 29.

The actuating lever 29 is mounted on a hinge pin 30 in an upstanding lever bracket 3| on the cross angle I5. The lever 29 is preferably formed from a single strip of metal folded back upon itself so that its two extremities will lie on opposite sides of the connecting rod 2'I and the bracket 3I. The bracket 3l is suciently high to allow the pivot member 31 to drop below the center line between the hinge pin 30 and the point of connection between the clevis 28 and the swinging lever arm 24 so as to provide a self-locking position for the connecting rod 2l. A tension spring 38 is stretched between the lever arm 24 and one of the side irons of the frame to constantly urge the arm 24 to the releasing position.

The free extremity of the actuating lever 29 has an upwardly extending notch 32 for detachably receiving the knotted extremity of a draw cord 33. The draw cord 33 extends to, and is secured on, a winding spool 34 mounted on an alarm winding shaft 36 of a conventional alarm clock 35.

When the gate is closed, the channel member 20 is folded against the latch stud I9. The swinging bar 22 is then folded against the channel member 2D. The swinging lever arm 24 is then positioned over the extremity of the rod 22 by lowering-the actuating lever 29 to below the dead center or locking position of Fig. 1 against the action of the spring 38.

wind in the cord 33.

The alarm clock 35 is now set to release at any desired time. When this time arrives, the alarm winding shaft Bt rotates the spool 34B to This lifts the actuating lever 29 and raises the pivot member 3? above the axis of the hinge pin S0, so as to allow the spring 33 to snap the swinging lever arm 24 outwardly. This releases the cord 33 from its notch 32, and also releases the extremity of the bar 22 from the lever arm 2li, allowing the bar 22 to swing outwardly under the iniiuence of the channel member Zii, as shown in broken line in Fig. 3. This releases the channel member 293 and allows it to swing outwardly, as shown in broken line, under the iniiuence of the latch stud iS so that Vthe gate will fall to the open or broken line position of Fig. 2. v f

It is desired to call attenti-on to the fact that the latch stud I9 is positioned closely adjacent vthe hinge pinjl, and that the extremity of the swinging channel member 2Q bears against theV bar 22 closely adjacent its hinge pin 23. It will also be noted that the clevis 23 is connected to the lever 2t adjacent the free extremity of the latter, and to the actuating lever 29 closely adjacent the hinge pin so that a four-stage, multiplied leverage is obtained which in the embodiment illustrated, requires the clock and c-crd to only act against approximately 1/24 of the pressure exerted by the latch stud le.

ITwo guide strips 3S are mounted onthe vertical side angle irons l2 by means ofV suitable attachment bolts di?. These strips may be of wood or metal and are designed to slide vertically into the receiving grooves V3 of the retaining wall H so that the entire gate structure can be lifted from place.

The gate is sealed against the water on its upstream side by means of a relatively Wide, nexible sealing gasket il of impregnated'canvas or the like, which is secured along the side irons I2by means of the bolts 453 and' along the bottom angle iron I3 by means of bolts 42 so as to overlap the adjacent edges of the gate plate i5.

The clock 35 has vbeen illustrated as uncovered for the sake of clarity. In actual use however it would be protected by a weather proof hood as indicated in broken line at l3in Fig. 2;

While a specific form of the improvement Vhas been described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope ofthe appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is 1. An automatically opening irrigation gate comprising: a vertical, Vrectangular gate frame; a gate hinged at its lower extremity in said gate frame and adapted to swing withinl the confines of the latter; a cross member in said gate frame above said gate; a latch member extending upwardly from said gate to a position adjacent said cross member; a iirst lever member hinged "to said cross member adjacent said latch member and adapted to be swung horizontally against said latch member to lock same to said cross member; a second lever member hinged to said cross member beyond the free extremity of said rst lever member and arranged to swinghorizontally against the extremity of said first lever member to lock the latter against said latch member; and clock-actuated means for releasing the free extremity-of said second lever member. f

claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent 2. An automatically opening irrigation gate comprising: a vertical, rectangular gate frame; a gate hinged at its lower extremity in said gate frame and adapted to swing within the connes of the latter; a cross member in said gate frame above said gate; a latch member extending upwardly from said gate to a position adjacent said cross member; a first lever member hinged to said cross member adjacent said latch member and adapted to be swung horizontally against said latch member to lock same to said cross member; a second lever member hinged to said cross member beyond the free extremity of said first lever member and arranged to swing hori- Zontally against the extremity of said iirst lever member to lock the latter against said latch member; a lever arm suspended from said frame so that its lower free extremity will swing over the free extremity of said second lever; an actuatinglever mounted on said cross member so as to swing in the vertical plane of said gate; a hinge pin hingedly mounting said actuating lever to said cross member so that it will extend normally away from said lever'arm; a connecting rodl extending from said lever arm across the hinge point of said actuating lever to a pivotal connection with the latter, said pivotal connection being arranged to swing below a line joining the hinge point of the actuating lever and the conneeting point between the connecting rod and the lever arm to lock the latter against movement away from said second lever; a spring urging said lever arm away from said second iever; and means for moving said actuating lever upwardly past its locked, dead-center position to allow said spring to release said reciprocating lever from said second lever.

3. An automatioaily opening irrigation gate comprising: a vertical, rectangular gate frame; a gate hinged at its lower extremity in saidl gate frame and adapted to swing within the Comines of the latter; a cross member in said gate frame above said gate; a latch member extending upwardly from said gate to a position adjacent said cross member; a rst lever member hinged to said cross member adjacent said latch member and adapted to be swung horizontally against said latch member to lock same to said cross member; a second level member hinged to said cross member beyond the free extremity of said rst lever member and arranged to swing horizontally against, the extremity oi said rst lever member to lock the latter against said latch member; a lever arm suspended from said frame so that its lower free extremity will swing over the free extremity of said second lever; an actuating lever mounted on said cross member so as to swing in the vertical plane of said gate; a hinge pin hingedly mounting said actuating lever to said cross member so that it will extend normally away from said lever arm; a connecting rod ex tending from said lever arm across the hinge point or" said actuating lever o a pivotal connection with the latter, said pivotal connection beingl arranged to swing belowV aline joining the hinge point of the actuating lever and the connecting point between the connecting rod and the lever arm to lock the latter against movement away from said second lever; a spring urging said lever arm away from said secondlever; a clock-actin ated spool mounted on said frame above said actuating lever; and releasable means connecting said spool Vwith said actuating lever to enable said clockeactuatedmechanism to lift said actu'- ating lever upwardly past the dead-center position.

4. An automatically-opening irrigation gate construction comprising: a gate member; an outer frame completely surrounding said gate member; a hinge hingedly mounting said gate member at one side to said outer frame; a latch stud ixedly projecting from the other side of said gate member and extending across the outer frame at said latter side;ja swinging bar hinged at its one extremity to the latter side of said frame at one side of said latch stud and posi vtioned so that its free'extremity will swing across said stud at right angles thereto to` releasably hold said stud and said gate member against said frame; and means for releasing the free extremity of said swinging bar at pre-set times.

5. An automatically-opening irrigation gate construction as recited in claim 4 in which the means for releasing the free extremity ofV said swinging bar comprises: a lever arm hingedly suspended. over the free extremity of said swinging bar when the latter is against said stud, the hinge axis of said lever arm being at righi; angles to the hinge axis of said swinging bar so that said lever arm may swing lengthwise of said swinging bar and away from the extremity of the latter to release said swinging bar; a spring urging said lever arm away from said swinging bar; and a clock-actuated .releasing mechanism holding said lever arm in engagement with said swinging bar.

6. An automatically-opening irrigation gate 6 construction as recited in claim v5 in which the clock-actuated mechanism comprises: an actuating lever hinged at tsvone extremity so as to swing in the plane of said lever arm; a hooked connecting rod connected between said lever arm and said actuating lever and extending across the hinged extremity of the latter so as to pass beyond the dead-center point of the pivot of said actuating lever; and clock-actuated means for returning said actuating lever from said deadcenter point to cause said connecting rod to swing said actuating lever to allow said lever arm to release said swinging bar.

7. An automatically-opening irrigation gate construction as recited in claim 4 having a channel member hinged to said frame on the opposite side of said stud from the hinge of said swinging bar and extending along the latter toward the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 850,441 McGinnis Apr. 16, 1907 Karns Mar. 8, 1921 

